Press Briefings Strategy, Research Paper Example

The Press Briefing by Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin on October 11, 2019, addressed the nation’s position regarding Turkey’s unstable military conditions, which threatened its civilians (James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, 2019). Being a humanitarian crisis, sanctions were being considered to anyone who engaged the Turkish government before it resolved the matter. This address was succinct, stuck to the agenda, emphasized that the sanctions were not yet in effect, and refrained from divulging too many details. Questions on ongoing negotiations with China or the Turkish president’s visit were answered tactfully to avoid speculations. Perhaps a brief summary of the events leading to the decision would have been helpful as they further justify the action. As a policy analyst, I would have advocated for more specificity to the people to whom the sanctions apply and examples of the kinds of involvement that would attract the fines. This paints a clearer picture of the direction of the pronouncement.

The Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Conference issued on February 29, 2020, tackled the first Covid-19 cases in the country (James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, 2020). The status update on the number of cases and recovering individuals provided a background for the decisive actions taken by the government in closing borders. Also, the affirmations of the nation’s preparedness to handle the disease in terms of masks and a strong economy inspire hope and ease the possibility of panic. However, the President’s introduction about the Taliban and Afghanistan could have been more concise to focus more on the day’s agenda. The emphasis on American loss should have been reduced significantly as it conveys a focus on loss more than gains. As a policy analyst, I would allocate more time to the doctors on the taskforce before taking questions because they would provide a technical point of view that gives more reassurance on the nation’s awareness and preparedness.

References

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room (2019). Press Briefing by Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin. Accessed from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/press-briefing-secretary-treasury-steven-mnuchin/. October 11, 2019

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room (2020). Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Conference. Accessed from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-vice-president-pence-members-coronavirus-task-force-press-conference-2/. February 29, 2020